They already read the meters remotely here in KC. It's done over the
lines in real time back to the office. Yes, we can see our usage
online, and the number will be exactly what the meter says at any given
point.

With these smart meters and the proper thermostats, the power company in my
area (Ontario Canada) will give you rebates if you let them cycle down from
their office your air conditioner during peak demand periods. There are
times where our power company actually has to import power from the US (ohio
and michigan) in summer. We use a lot of nuclear power here and Ohio uses a
lot of coal, but Ohio's pollution comes and hangs out over Ontario. So It
makes some sense to set-up the meter to avoid importing power during peak
times although I would never sign up for this program, I hope others do.
Also these new meters charge different electrical rates during low demand
periods so if you run your dryer or dishwasher after say 10pm you will pay
50% less for the energy used during this period.

Yes, Baltimroe too, but last summer they wanted to come out and change
the control unit on the AC.
I had signed up for this again, and the guy arrived and handed me the
brochure and went to work, and this time he drilled 2 holes in my
brick wall, in the mortar at least, and installed it.
After he left I read the brochure and it said he could have mounted it
to the AC if I requested that, but it was too late. I was really
annoyed.
Now they're offerring setback thermostats too, but I've had one for 26
years. If it's connected to varying electric rates, I don't think
they said that.

Alabama power had or has these evil radio controlled gadgets that were
installed on the AC condenser of folks who singed up for a reduced rate
or credit. During peak demand, the AC could be turned off by the power
company. I haven't seen one for a while and always disconnected them
when someone called for service on an AC which wasn't cooling.
TDD

wrote:> Alabama power had or has these evil radio controlled gadgets that were

I'm not surrendering control of my A/C or any appliance to some quasi
government body (but I hope others do) but the code is here that there has
to be an outside electrical disconnect for the A/C. The radio
unit/thermostat gets installed in this box.
Apparently in Ontario they can't override your settings by more than 2 C
which is 5 F and it can only be done during weekday "working" hours. Never
at evening nights or weeknights. I still wouldn't sign up but the owners
before did and I had the ultity remove the switch when they did a wire
search for me.

Baltimore County, I have, I think there has to be an outsdie
disconnect, but they wired the switch into the compressor wiring. I
guess that enables them to switch off only the low voltage control
circuit.

Apparently here they almost never use the things, or so they say, but
they are planning for occasions when they will. And when they do,
they're supposed to just do a rolling turn off of AC, a half hour??
and then on again; and on to some other people. I don't know if they
correlate that with a numeric temperature change or not.

Quebec won't sell us cheap power. They prefer to sell to New York City and
Boston at 7 times the price. Which is good. It means we subsidise that
province less. Selling overpriced electricity is about the only thing
Quebec does right.
Problem is when you buy cheap coal power from Ohio, you have to take the
smog with it.

They can shut off your meter remotely, even just to save power for
industry during peak hours and when your AC needs it the most. If its
tampered with or the power goes out they know immediatly as the meter
contacts the system about every minute, they dont need meter readers
anymore its all computer generated now. I would rather have the old
meter.

They'll shut off the AC all right if you have one of those things, and
turn down your heat maybe if you have that, but they're not going to
shut off the electricity at the meter to save AC for someone else.

My nephew wanted to be a meter reader when he grew up. This is going
to hit him hard.

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